Clinical Eddie Nketiah stakes claim for more playing time at Arsenal after destroying Chelsea

Eddie Nketiah sparked a bit of controversy following a heart-to-heart interview on The Beautiful Game Podcast earlier in the week. The 22-year-old forward discussed a variety of issues, including his international future and why he has been reluctant to sign a contract extension at Arsenal.

Nketiah’s major concern was his lack of playing time at the Emirates and rightly so. Despite the departure of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the young striker has sparingly started games.

However, he was eventually unleashed by Mikel Arteta during Wednesday’s Premier League game against Chelsea and took his chance by scoring twice.

Eddie Nketiah destroys Blues

When a player talks big, the pressure immediately mounts on him to follow up with a big performance and that is exactly what Nketiah did.

After complaining about his lack of game time at Arsenal, he scored twice in a rare start as the Gunners won 4-2 to boost their hopes of finishing in the top four.

Both of his goals also emphasized his innate scoring prowess. The boy is a natural finisher and demonstrated that when he sensed Andreas Christensen could make a mistake in the build-up to his first goal.

His second goal was also a typical poacher’s strike, as he took advantage of a defensive mix-up to prod the ball home. Nketiah played his best game in an Arsenal shirt against Chelsea and his man of the match award was well deserved.

Eddie Nketiah deserves more playing time

Alexander Lacazette has been Arsenal’s main striker since Aubameyang left, but the Frenchman hasn’t been clinical enough upfront.

And with Nketiah’s latest performance against Chelsea, he has staked a claim to be given more playing time in the team.

The 22-year-old has played just 326 minutes of Premier League football this season, having been restricted to a peripheral figure, but he deserves a consistent run now.

“If there is one player that I have been unfair with I think it’s him [Nketiah],” Arteta admitted in his post-match press conference, as quoted by Football London.

“He has given me every right to do something different, and if Eddie doesn’t play more, it’s my fault and because as a manager I missed something or I haven’t had the courage to play him more. Today he showed me more how wrong I was.”

Eddie Nketiah has shown what he can do when given the opportunity and now it’s up to Arteta to give him more minutes. For he has earned it.